Floods keep fire crews busy

The Mail burn at south Cunningsburgh unable to take the volume of water burst its banks causing extensive flooding. Photo: Jim Nicolson

A month’s worth of rain falling in one day kept fire crews busy throughout Shetland last night.

The first call came at 8.30pm from a property in Levenwick, where a basement was flooded. Firefighters from Sandwick pumped out the water and diverted it into ditches, finishing work at around 10pm.

The next call, just after 8.30pm, reported a flooded sewage plant at Gremista. Fire crews from Lerwick cleared a culvert using pitchforks, which enabled the water to run away freely.

The third call came from a chalet in Cunningsburgh, which had flooding outside and where a neighbouring property was flooded. Sumburgh fire crews assisted by the Sandwick crew spent nearly three hours, from 9pm until nearly midnight, pumping water from the road into a burn.

Finally, firefighters from Bixter were called to flooding at the bridge at Setter, Weisdale, on the B9075 road. Firecrews stayed on the scene from 9pm to nearly midnight, ensuring no vehicle went over the bridge until it was safe to do so.

The rain also caused landslides in many areas. Levenwick, Maywick, Weisdale, Heylor and Dales Lees were all affected, with the Heylor and Dales Lees roads closed and the A970 at Levenwick down to a single lane. Dry conditions today enabled council workmen to clear the debris.

The Met Office in Lerwick still has a weather warning in place as the tail end of hurricane Bertha recedes.

About Rosalind Griffiths

One comment

Donna Simpson

August 10th, 2014 23:14

Great to hear all the reports of the fire crews working long hours dealing with the floods. Just a small point to add or rather correct the article above. The SIC road men were also out until all hours dealing with the floods. Perhaps the Shetland Times only receives the full reports from the fire station as maybe the roads men are too busy continuing to clear up the mess to detail all the work the have done. Spare a thought for the sic council workmen who work in these extreme weather conditions to make roads safe for the rest of us to travel on.

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